Apparently BMW has stockpiled engines for the remainder of the R52 cabrio run, and the Tritec factory has been shut down.

http://www.mini2.com/forum/general-d...roduction.html

 

Things change....so be it.

 

Wow. Some of those folks are down right scary.

Seems perfectly logical. Why continue building something no longer needed? Parts will be available for a decade, if not longer. And if the market deems it, someone will buy or make the tooling and build more parts.

One day the Prince engine will be replaced as well and so on, and so forth.

 

I find the Tritec a very charismatic engine that perfectly suited the character of the 1st gen cars. And it has been proven to be extremely robust. My only serious issue with it is fuel efficiency. The new engine will do well if I can demonstrate the same long-term reliability.

It is widely thought that the Tritec will live on in another Dodge model planned for 2010 and in a new Chinese model. (Whether it will be built in a new factory, in the exising Brazil factory, or in the Brazil factory moved to China is undecided.) This engine may have longer legs than we think.

- Mark

 

Many downplayed the Tritec when it was introduced such as made in Brazil, it has a gene of Chrysler, course, and so on but it turned out to be robust and reliable considering the huge extra power that can be had from a small 1.6L. I think this is a winner despite its modest design and humble beginning.

 

I am currently reading the MINI 50 book that's just out (pretty good so far) and the Tritec is referred to several times as "unburstable" and it was also mentioned that the racers and tuners really like it but pending enviro laws in Europe would outlaw it soon so the switch to the Prince was made-which also caused the styling change that resulted in a taller hood and belt line. It also allowed BMW to move some MINI engine building to the UK (Hams Hall) so the whole process is more efficient. I'm sure the Tritec having an association with Mercedes was also a factor but they will never admit it. The book indicates that even BMW was surprised how well the Tritec turned out.

 

The Tritec, in supercharged form, was one of Ward's "Ten Best Engines" in 2003.

- Mark

 

I find it interesting since the Obvio is slated to come out next year using the Tritec engine with versions from 115hp all the way to 250 hp

http://www.zapworld.com/ZAPCMS/uploa...28%20Slick.pdf

 

I'm glad I own the Tritec. With multiple "hands" in the devleopment of this engine, it was bound to be looked at over and over from many different angles to be built as a quality engine. I think the engine is a sucess and I enjoy mine thoroughly although I wish for the superchager sound and exhaust popping sometimes as I own an R50.

 

Long live the Tritec engine!

 

That was the final positive about the MINI in deciding to make the purchase.
It has proven it's self (Tritec engine) to be that and more.

 

++1

 

++1 Absotively.